Justice News

Owner of Multiple New York Construction Companies Indicted for Tax Fraud

Eric Anderson, of Dix Hills, N.Y., was arrested today following his indictment on April 25, 2013, on numerous tax crimes, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

According to the indictment, Anderson owned three construction companies in Dix Hills: Anderson Framing, Anderson Enterprise and Anderson Trim Specialty. As alleged, Anderson corruptly endeavored to obstruct the IRS between 2006 and 2008 by using a check cashing service to cash over $10.5 million of gross receipts checks paid to his construction companies. He concealed his check cashing activities from his tax return preparer so that the income was not included on the companies’ tax returns. Anderson paid his employees in cash while failing to collect and pay over to the IRS employment taxes. He also diverted cash receipts earned by his companies for his own personal use. Finally, after learning of the criminal investigation, Anderson shredded business records and lied to IRS investigators about his use of the check cashing service.

The indictment also alleges that Anderson filed a false 2006 corporate income tax return for Anderson Trim and failed to file multiple years of employment tax returns, corporate income tax returns, and individual income tax returns. Anderson faces a potential maximum sentence of 94 years in prison and a potential fine of up to $5,300,000.

A trial date has not been scheduled. An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Mark Kotila and Jeffrey Bender of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.